James a



JAMES A; BOWEN.

lmzprbve'me-nt in lnkstands.

No 115,686. Patenfedlu'nefiJBT].

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W/T/VESSfS. INVf/VTOH.

JAMES A. BOWEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

vllliii-ROVEit'lENT IN lNKSTANDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 115,686, dated June 6, 1871.

To all persons to whom these presents shall come:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. BOW'EN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ink-Wells; and that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing hereinafter referred to, and forming a part of the same, is a full and complete specification thereof.

The present invention relates more particularly to ink-wells or fountains for schooldesks; and the principal object of the invention is to secure the locking of the ink-well in the desk-top so as to prevent its removal or being tampered with by the scholars, and to render it only susceptible of removal or insertion by the use of a suitable key.

In the accompanying drawing my improvements in inkwe1ls are illustrated, Figure 1 being a transverse vertical section through a portion of a desk-top, and of an ink-well placed therein, that is constructed and arranged in its several parts according thereto, showing the key as applied; and Fig. 2, a plan view of the under or inner side of the cover or top plate to the ink-well.

A in the drawing represents a portion of a desk-top, and B a hole bored through the thickness of same, leaving a shoulder, C, between the upper and lower sides of desk-top; D, a bushing, made of metal, with a screwthread around its inner periphery. This bushing 1) is placed within and around the upper or enlarged portion E of the hole B, and there secured in any proper manner. Within the bushing D is screwed a cover or top plate, F, having a round or other shaped hole, G, through its center. Below the cover F is a well or fountain, H, for ink, which well is made of glass, with a flange or rim, a, by which it is suspended on the shoulder U, I, a protective case or tube about the well H, which case has a flange, b, resting on the shoulder G, between its surface and the flange of well H. Theflange b is of sufficient width to extend under the plane of the bushing D, so that in securing the bushing the protective case I is held or iastened in place. The ink is placed in the glass well H 5 but it may be placed in the incasing-tube I and the well H dispensed with. It is preferable, however, to use the double wells H and I.

Should the case I be dispensed with the inkwell proper, whether made of glass or other material, may be secured within the hole-B by and through the bushing D, as described for the case I, which bushing may be either plain or made with a' screw-thread, as described.

On the under side K of thecover F, between its hole G and rim 0, is a lug, (I, having a hole or notch, f, for the purpose of receiving the stud or pin 9 to the shank or stem L of a key, M, which shank L is of suitable size to pass through the hole G of cover F, and for convenience of insertion is partially shaved off upon its side opposite the stud 9.

With the pin 9 of key-shank interlocked with notch f of cover F, as shown in Fig. 1, it is obvious a hold of the cover is obtained by the key sufficient to insure its being turned by and through the key, and consequently its screwing into or out of the hole B of the desktop, as may be desired. In lieu of a notch on the under side of the cover it may be a pin and a notch in the key suitable to set over it; or a series of notches or pins may be made on the under side of the cover, with the key relatively constructed therefor, and they may be made of various shapes and sizes, it not being intended to limit the invention to any peculiar formation thereof.

N, a lid arranged to slide in and between parallel guide-rails p, fixed to the under side of cover. This lid N is made of suitable size to close the hole G in cover F when slid across it, and it has a piece, 1", for the finger to operate it.

For securing the bushing D in place within the hole G without the use of screws or other fastening devices, it is made with a taper or bevel on its exterior periphery from end to end, so that when driven it will wedge itself 1n.

Having thus described my improvements in ink-wells, I shall state my claim as follows:

A cover or top, 13, constructed on its under or inner side for interlocking with a key inserted in the hole G, substantially as and for the purpose described.

The above specification of my improvements in ink-wells signed by me this lathday of January, 1871.

JAMES A. BOWEN.

Vitnesses ALBERT W. BROWN, i-HEEIMENI SAYER. 

